Why is the Reliability of Genesis so Important? - Genesis Part 1

You know we want to start a new series of messages.

Today a verse by verse chapter by chapter study of the book of Genesis in the book of Genesis has been the focus of incredible controversy for the last 300 years. In fact, there's probably not a single statement in the entire book of Genesis that somebody hasn't accused of being wrong.

Over the past 300 years everything from six-day creation to God's direct creation of Adam and Eve to a literal garden of Eden to know was flawed to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to the historicity of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to Moses his authorship of the book and on we go. Just one example, Thomas Paine, the famous author of the pamphlet common sense during the Revolutionary war, the man who said these are the times that try men's souls.

The man who said if we do not hang together we shall surely hang separately.

The same man said and I quote Genesis is nothing but an anonymous book of stories.

Seybold traditions and invented absurdities" now you say belong, isn't it true that the entire Bible has been under attack for the last 300 years. Well yes it is true, but the battle over the book of Genesis has been unusually intense and it raises the question why I mean why are so many people working so hard to discredit the book of Genesis and why are so many evangelical Christians working so hard to defend the book of Genesis. I mean is Christians.

Why don't we just read the New Testament and tell people about Jesus.

I mean is Christians doesn't really matter all that much, if everything, the book of Genesis as is totally true. Well, this is what we want to talk about today we want to ask and answer three questions number one does it really matter if all of Genesis is true and accurate number two. How can we be sure that it is an number three. If it is true and accurate than the yar holder will be back all right. I that's our plan for the day. So here we go. Question number one. Does it really matter if all the book of Genesis is true and accurate will the answer to that is yes yes a thousand times yes. Psalm 11 three says that the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do. In other words, if you destroy a building's foundations of the superstructure must come crashing down you say lawn.

I agree with that when it comes to architecture and buildings. Once I got to do with the book of Genesis Will has everything to do with the book of Genesis because you see my friends the book of Genesis is the found nation upon which the rest of the Bible.

Superstructure is built. For example, did you know that the book of Genesis is the most quoted and the most referenced book and all the rest of the Bible, but even more importantly, we need to understand that every major doctrine. The Bible teaches every theological truth that the Bible sits on is rooted and grounded in the book of Genesis, or to put it. In other words, if the book of Genesis is not totally true in its every word than everything else. The Bible says, including the parts about Jesus come crashing down. Let me show you what I mean. Number one. How about, for example, what the Bible says about sin. Romans chapter 5 verse 12 says therefore as by one man sin entered the world. Well who is this one man, Adam, of course, Adam and where does this biblical teaching come from that sin and evil entered the world through Adam and his disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden will of course it comes from the book of Genesis chapter 3, number two.

How about what the Bible says about death. Romans chapter 5 again verse 12. Therefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death came by sin. Okay, where does this biblical teaching come from that human death is the direct result of Adam's sin well.

It comes from Genesis Genesis 217 for the day you eat from that tree, God said to Adam you shall surely die number three had about what the Bible says about our sin nature Romans chapter 5 verse 12 continues and so death passed on to all people for all sin.

This is why the Bible says death exists from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not then by breaking a command of God, as Adam had friends. This may be one of the most important verses in the entire Bible. I want to stop there for a minute and make sure we all understand what these couple verses are saying. So stick with me now what is the Bible saying here what Romans five is saying is that between the time of Adam and the time of Moses.

There were no formal laws. There were no written rules. There were no 10 Commandments from God for people to disobey.

According to the Bible after the Garden of Eden. The next time that God gave specific commands about right and wrong to the human race.

Commands that people could disobey was when God gave the law to Moses at Mount Sinai thousands of years after Adam had died and yet in spite of this, every human being who lived during this intervening period between Adam and Moses, still God in this fact. That is the fact that death was universal between the time of Adam and Moses, even though during that time, people were not disobeying direct commands of God like Adam had done in the garden. The Bible says this proves that there was another problem that there was another reason why people were dying. That is, everybody get that. Are y'all with me okay now what is this other problem that was causing everybody to die. Well, the problem is that all people everywhere had inherited a sin nature from Adam, a sin nature that causes God to see every one of us every member of Adam's race as a dinner from the moment that we are born before we ever disobey a commandment of God, a sin nature that puts everyone of us under the judgment of God from the day we are leave and where does this biblical teaching about the lostness of the human race because we've all inherited Adam's sin nature. Where does this come from the book of Genesis right they number four about what the Bible says about God's curse on creation. The Bible says. When Jesus returns. He's going to heal our present world, and Revelation 22 three. There will be no more curse words.

This biblical teaching come from that. Our present creation is under a curse, and that this explains all the pain and the evil in our world. A curse that Jesus is going to remove when he returns well. It comes from the book of Genesis Genesis 3 verse 17 God said to Adam curse. It is the ground because of what you have gone Adam Snelling to give you just a couple more examples and will stop about what the Bible says about the sanctity of life. Why is murder wrong. Why is abortion wrong why is euthanasia wrong. Why is racism wrong. Why is discriminating against people with disabilities wrong well because man is created in the image of God and because of this, all human life is sacred and actual where does this biblical teaching come from well it comes from the book of Genesis chapter 1 verse 27 so God created man in his own image number six about what the Bible says about the need for Jesus to shed his blood for our salvation. Matthew 26 verse 28 Jesus said this is my blood, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sin. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 22 for without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin. Where does this biblical teaching come from that God only forgive sin based on the shed blood of an innocent substitute.

Well, it comes from the book of Genesis chapter 3 verse 21 were God shed the blood of two innocent animals to make coverings for Adam and Eve sinned.

Genesis 4 verse four were God rejected Cain's offering because it was not a blood offering and finally number seven. How about what with the Bible says about God's Lordship over the universe on the why is God the one who gets to be the sovereign potentate of the universe. Why is God the one who gets the unilateral right to set the rules for the universe. Why does God have the right to judge men and women for sin and decide who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. Well, Revelation 411 says it's because speaking to God you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being friends. The answer to those questions is God has the right to be the Lord of creation because he is the creator of creation and where does this biblical teaching come from Genesis chapter 1 verse one in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now I could go on but I think the point is clear. The point is that the book of Genesis forms the foundation theologically for everything else that the Bible teaches about man what the Bible teaches about sin and death and judgment and the lostness of the human race in the blood of Jesus Christ and God's authority over the universe, therefore if someone is able to discredit the book of Genesis, they have with one broad stroke discredited all of biblical theology. This is why Dr. Andrew Snelling of the Institute for creation research said and I quote it is impossible to reject the book of Genesis without repudiating the authority of the entire Bible.

But you know what is even more serious than that, my friends, because you see Jesus's credibility as the Messiah is the son of God as God in the flesh is in explicable.

He linked to the reliability of the book of Genesis and you say wise that well because when we look at the New Testament we find that Jesus believed every single part of Genesis to be true even the most controversy all parts.

Let me show this to you.

For example, in Matthew 19 verse four.

It's clear that Jesus believed that Adam and Eve existed just like Genesis said in Matthew 19 for its clear that Jesus believed that Adam and Eve were created directly by God. Just like Genesis said in Matthew 12 verse 24 is clear that Jesus believe that there is a literal devil, just like Genesis says in Matthew 1123 it's clear Jesus believed that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire from God exactly like Genesis says in Luke 1732. It's clear Jesus believe that lots wife was turned into a pillar of salt. Just like Genesis says and say in Luke 1726. It's clear that Jesus believe the biblical account of Noah and the ark, and the flawed, just like Genesis says only one more in John chapter 8 verse 36 it's clear Jesus believe that Abraham exists and that he was the forefather of the Jewish people just like Genesis is the point is that it Genesis is the throw. If it isn't reliable in all that it says then either Jesus himself was deceived about the book of Genesis or he knew it wasn't true and he lied to us folks. Either way, his claim to be God in the flesh is shot Dr. John Whitcomb and Henry Morris of the Genesis flood said and I quote the book of Genesis is not dependable than Jesus is not dependable. And we are without a Savior." So let's summarize if we give up the truthfulness of the book of Genesis. Not only do we destroy the theological foundation of everything else.

The Bible teaches.

But we also destroy Jesus's claim to be God making his death on the cross, meaningless, and our hope of salvation through him ridiculous. The bottom line is that there is an awful lot riding on whether or not the book of Genesis is true or whether it is and that leads to our second question and that is how can we prove that the book of Genesis is true.

Well first let's talk about Genesis chapters 1 through seven. Cannot prove to you that the events of the seven chapters are true, that is the creation of the world. The creation of man about the garden of Eden, the fall of man know was Lord Cain and Abel. Well, the answer is no, I can't. No one can go back and do this all the records are gone due to the flood. In fact, we can't even look at the natural world around us. To try and verify the accuracy of these early chapters of the book of Genesis, because the flood altered the course of nature in such a way that everything today environmentally is radically different from the way that it was in those first seven chapters of Genesis. But but if we can prove that the rest of Genesis chapters 8 through 50 is accurate. The part that happened after the flood, then logic dictates that the first part should be true also. Here's my logic. Why would God tell us the truth in the second part of the book of Genesis and lied to us in the first part of the book, and so let me say to you that when it comes to the second half of the book of Genesis, the accuracy of the Bible. The reliability of the book of Genesis is bulletproof. I want to give you a few examples. By the way you guys all right okay here we go. I let me show you this. Genesis 8 through 50 reliable here we go, the critics used to say that the Hittite Empire that existed in central Turkey at the time of Abraham that the Bible speaks of never even existed. They said that is until you Winkler excavated the city of Goss call you in central Turkey and found that if this was an enormous Empire at Abraham's time, just like the book of Genesis says number two.

Critics used to say that the Joseph story was false, but now we know that the Bible's account of Joseph is all of accurate Egyptians customs that came right from that time. One example, if you remember in Genesis 41 before Joseph went in to see Pharaoh.

He shaved we now know that the in the ancient near East. The only culture that was clean-shaven where the Egyptians exactly the way the Bible says so that instead of being wrong when it talks about the customs of Egypt in the Joseph story.

The Bible turns out to be amazingly right. Number three. Critics used to say that the Abraham stories were all wrong because they mention domesticated camels which didn't exist in the ancient near East until Abraham's Dave anyway. In 1961.

However, the famous French archaeologist Andre Perrault dug up an entire Camel skeleton in Palestine.

Dating exactly to the time of Abraham, just the way the book of Genesis says number four. Critics used to say that more fatalities. Abraham's hometown never even existed. Genesis chapter 12, that is, until in 1922.

Leonard Woolley dug it up and found it to be a large flourishing city at the time of Abraham, just like Genesis says critics used to say that the Sodom and Gomorrah stories were all wrong because that part of the Jordan Valley was uninhabited at the time of Abraham, then the great archaeologist Nelson Glebe down in his excavations in the southern Jordan Valley 70 cities of enormous wealth and prosperity. From the time of Abraham, and lots exactly the way the book of Genesis is we know now from discoveries that the city of newsy and ancient near Eastern city from the time of Abraham. We know now that many of the customs. The Bible tells us about that existed at Abraham's time were in perfect keeping with the customs of his age and of the ancient near East. It is time. Let me give you a couple examples. We know that at the time of Abraham.

Now it was legal to sell your birthright to somebody else with all of its privileges that sound familiar. Yeah, in Genesis 25.

That's exactly what Esau did we know now that at the time of Abraham, a father's blessing on one of his sons was it revocable. Even if the father made a mistake and didn't mean the giving he could not retracted that sound familiar. You remember when Jacob strolled Esau's blessing. Genesis 27 and Esau begged Isaac to take it back and cancel it and Isaac said I can't do it why was illegal.

We now know from the time of Abraham, a childless wife could legally give her handmaiden to her husband to have children. Sound familiar Will it should in Genesis chapter 16. That's exactly what Sarah did with her handmaiden. Hagar and one more we know from the time of Abraham, that if the wife went on later to have children of her own. It was illegal for the husband to throw the handmaiden and her children out. That's why in Genesis 21 when God said throw Hagar out Abraham pushback and said no Lord because it was illegal to do.

Would God was telling him to do not… More I could give you more and more and more, but I think I made the point.

That's enough for now.

Dr. William F. Albright, the greatest American biblical archaeologists of all time, said he wasn't a Christian. He said he taught at Johns Hopkins and he said this and I quote is becoming increasingly clear that the traditions of the patriarchal age that is from the time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob preserved in the book of Genesis look at this reflect with remarkable accuracy. The will conditions of the ancient near East. At that time." And Dr. HH Rowley, who taught at the University of Manchester in England said and I quote it is not because scholars of today begin with more conservative presuppositions that they have much greater respect for the stories in Genesis look, but rather because the evidence warrants six" friends.

As I said earlier, it makes no sense that God would tell us the truth about chapters 8 through 50 of the book of Genesis and then lied to us about the events of Genesis 1 to 7, and since I can show you without a doubt the Genesis chapters 8 through 50 are utterly true and his rhetorically reliable. I submit to you that we are on solid theological ground and solid logical ground to assume that all 50 chapters of the book of Genesis are totally true and historically reliable. And that's precisely how we're going to approach the book of Genesis in this body at McLean Bible church we're going to assume that everything the book of Genesis says is the truth and if the whole truth and it's nothing but the truth so help us God. Amen that I with you are well even if it isn't alright with you. That's what were doing. That's the way it's going to be now all of that leads us to our final question for today and Jim had a chance to do this in a while so I really you know the less I know let's get the rust out here we go all of you loud and all of you possess all of you at Prince William.

Are you ready come on now, here we go.

I body at Tysons vice allowed one to three day come on you can do better than that. 123 day then a few good yeah you salon so once it is greater appreciate you doing all this you know I'm joking all the information you just gave me but what difference does any of this make to my life you know on Monday morning.

I mean come on now. Well, let's talk about that friends of the book of Genesis is really true and that has some enormous implications for you for me and for every human being alive. It means that the book of Genesis is true that there really is a living God in this universe. It means that he is a personal, omnipotent, sovereign mighty majestic living God. It means that he really did create the universe and Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden and everything we see around us. It means that Adam really did disobey God in the Garden of Eden and that when God pronounced a death penalty on Adam and his entire race for Adam's sin. God wasn't kidding. It also means if the book of Genesis is true that every descendent of Adam. You mean all of us. We all inherit Adam sin nature and the death penalty that goes with it in the judgment of God.

The goes with it. The friends of the book of Genesis is true. There's also some good news. It also means that God is serious about rescuing sinners in Noah's day, God provided a way for sinners to be rescued, called the ark if you read very carefully. God gave people 100 years to change their mind and change their behavior and repent and get on the ark. The Bible says that for 100 years God waited patiently while the ark was being built and that for 100 years. Noah was a preacher of righteousness appealing to people to repent and get on the ark only eight people did but friends then you know what happened in every other way of trying to save themselves failed once the judgment of God hit mean canoes rafts doggy paddle and none of that work.

It was God's way or no way.

Now, today God is just as serious about rescuing sinners, but today the way of doing it is not with some are the way of doing it that today is by us trusting the blood of Jesus Christ shed for us on the cross and friends. Just like in Noah's day every other way will fail. But God's way.

You know nothing else is going to work. Sacraments are not going to work for being born Jewish is not going to work, church membership is not going to work saying the rosary's not going to work. Being baptized is not going to work, church membership, good works, none of that hospital work. It's God's way towards no way just like it was in the days no and so as we close today I want to ask you my friend have you grabbed a hold of God's way out, that he created in his mercy for you and me just like he did for Noah, have you embrace the blood of Jesus Christ plus nothing as your one and only remedy for sin. Have you gotten on the ark of the blood of Jesus Christ. Well, if you haven't were to give you a chance to do that right here right now. Today let's bow our heads together with our heads bowed in her eyes close.

Here's what were going to do when you give me the opportunity to get on the ark of the blood of Christ to reject everything else you've ever trusted to try to pay for your sin and try to get you into heaven, and instead to embrace God's one and only way out but it'll work so we can have a little prayer on the pray out loud. You can pray silently one phrase at a time as we make that transition and get you on the ark of the blood of Christ. So here we go pray out loud you pray silently, Lord Jesus, I come to you today because I want to go to heaven. I want to know for certain that my sins are forgiven and that I have eternal life.

And so today I give up every other remedy that I've ever trusted to pay for my sin and get me into heaven.

And today I embrace the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for me as my one and only payment for sin and hope for heaven, Lord Jesus come into my life today and become my personal Lord and Savior and transfer me out of Adam's race of all of the curses that it brings in into the race of Christ, with all the blessings that it brings.

I give my life to you today.

In Jesus name and thought I want to pray for the folks the pray that prayer that you would confirm in their heart even as they sit there today that a great transaction is taken place in the heavenly places. That is John 524 says that they have passed from death to eternal life never to go back. Lord Jesus, all of us here we give you thanks that you are God of mercy were merciful to Adam. You were merciful to Eve you were merciful to Abel when he brought you a blood offering and Lord in providing salvation through Christ, you have been merciful to us. We thank you for that.

Thank you that you provided a way out of our inherited sin nature that we could never create ourselves because of your love for us hopeless.

Never take that for granted Lord, we pray all of these things in Jesus name, amen